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plentiful and aside from coywolves and hunter
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Those pictures of the snow are really something else! I HOPE we're all out=
of it SOON!!
=20
Bev from Glace Bay
=20
From: fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] Winter in the Highlands (long)
Date: Fri=2C 27 Mar 2015 10:49:27 -0300
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Hi All=2C
Winter snow levels have finally reached their peak up here in the hig=
hlands so I thought I'd send in a report of my impressions on how wildlife =
are doing after all these late winter storms.=20
There is a base of snow on the ground now of about 6'+/- depending on=
where you are. Snow drifts along tree lines=2C filling ravines and up on t=
he barrens are much deeper=3B up to 10'-12'+ deep. There is a crust on top =
of the snow at the moment hard enough to support my weight without snowshoe=
s - in most cases. A second much stronger crust (easily supports a moose) l=
ies at the 3'-4' depth range. This crust was formed in late February and is=
extremely hard. Wildlife with some exceptions appears to be doing pre=
tty well despite the deep snow and in some cases that depth may even be a b=
enefit to them=3B as moose=2C deer and snowshoe hare can now easily browse =
tree branches that normally would be out of their reach. Moose and Dee=
r: I've seen the occasional moose or deer and lots of tracks throughout the=
winter and those animals that I have observed appear in good condition. Br=
owse is plentiful and aside from coywolves and hunters=3B moose and deer ha=
ve no real predators in this area. The only cause of death this year=2C for=
moose and deer=2C aside from predation=2C is accidental death from falling=
through ice on lakes and rivers or into gorges by straying to close to sno=
w overhangs along ravine edges. My wife saw a doe and young fawn a few days=
ago and both looked in good health. Snowshoe Hare and Red Squirrel: =
There are healthy populations of both these species this winter (particular=
ly hare) and tracks/sightings are plentiful. The return of snowshoe hare in=
large numbers is particularly appreciated as they are one of the main food=
sources for coywolves and other predators like bobcat=2C lynx=2C large owl=
s and hawks. Coywolves=2C Fox=2C Bobcats and Lynx: Coywolves are more=
often heard than seen but with the abundance of snowshoe hare I imagine th=
ey will do well this winter. I haven't seen any sign of either fox=2C bobca=
t or lynx this winter but that is not that unusual here. Mice/Voles/S=
hrews etc.: I haven't seen mice/vole/shrew tracks in the snow in months=3B =
which is very troubling. They are prey for many small predators and practic=
ally the sole diet of Northern Saw-whet Owls. I imagine the mice/voles/ shr=
ews are doing fine under the snow. It's the predators that will suffer. =
Owls=2C Hawks and Eagles: Large owls=2C hawks and eagles should do well=
because there are abundant hares=2C squirrels and grouse about. Northern S=
aw-whet Owls=2C and earlier arriving smaller hawks like American Kestrels=
=2C will on the other hand=2C I think=2C have a very hard spring. Hopefully=
they will delay breeding until much of the snow is gone. Other Bird=
s: There have been lots of birds around the house feeders all winter but aw=
ay from feeders it's been very quite. I did a two hour walk a few days ago =
and saw or heard not a single avian species. The only evidence I saw of bir=
ds were a few grouse tracks. I expect early arriving spring migrants that d=
epend on insects or are mostly ground feeders (robins=2C sparrows=2C blackb=
irds etc.) will have a very tough time until the snow is gone. It's=
been a long winter and I look forward to seeing and walking on bare ground=
again. If anyone has questions or corrections about any of my opinions on =
how local wildlife may be surviving here I'd be happy to try and answer the=
m. I've linked to a few recent photos for your amusement. All the best.=20
Fritz McEvoy =
Sunrise Valley=2C CB (near Dingwall)=20
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Fritz has files to share with you on On=
eDrive. To view them=2C click the links below. =
=
=
=
New folder folder =
=
=
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<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>Those pictures of =3Bthe sno=
w are really something else! =3B I HOPE we're all out of it SOON!!<BR>&=
nbsp=3B<BR>Bev from Glace Bay<br> =3B<BR><div><hr id=3D"stopSpelling">F=
rom: fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com<br>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br>Subject: [Na=
tureNS] Winter in the Highlands (long)<br>Date: Fri=2C 27 Mar 2015 10:49:27=
-0300<br><br>=0A=
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idth: 100%=3B height: 100%=3B"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"padding: 0px=3B"> =
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<div dir=3D"ltr">Hi All=2C<br> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B Wint=
er snow levels have finally reached their peak up here in the highlands so =
I thought I'd send in a report =3Bof my impressions on how wildlife are=
doing =3Bafter all =3Bthese late winter storms. <br> =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B There is a base of snow on the ground now of ab=
out 6'+/- depending on where you are. Snow drifts along tree lines=2C filli=
ng =3Bravines and up on the barrens =3Bare much deeper=3B up to&nbs=
p=3B10'-12'+ deep. There is a crust on top of the snow =3Bat the moment=
hard enough to support my weight without snowshoes - in most cases. A seco=
nd much stronger crust (easily supports a moose) lies at the 3'-4' depth ra=
nge. This crust was formed in late February and is =3Bextremely hard.</=
div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B Wildlife with=
 =3Bsome exceptions appears to be doing pretty well despite the deep sn=
ow and in some cases =3Bthat depth =3Bmay even be a benefit to them=
=3B as moose=2C deer and snowshoe hare can now easily browse =3Btree br=
anches =3Bthat normally would be out of their reach.</div><div dir=3D"l=
tr"> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B<u> =3BMoose and Deer</u>: =
I've seen the occasional moose or deer and lots of tracks throughout the wi=
nter and those animals that I have observed appear in good condition. Brows=
e is plentiful and aside from coywolves and hunters=3B moose and deer have =
no real predators in this area. The only cause of death this year=2C for mo=
ose and deer=2C aside from predation=2C is accidental death from falling th=
rough ice on =3Blakes and rivers =3Bor into gorges =3Bby strayi=
ng to close to snow overhangs along =3Bravine edges. =3BMy wife saw=
a doe and young fawn a few days ago =3Band both looked in good health.=
</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nbs=
p=3B<u>Snowshoe Hare and Red Squirrel</u>: There are healthy populations of=
both these species this winter (particularly hare) and tracks/sightings ar=
e plentiful. The return of snowshoe hare in large numbers is particularly a=
ppreciated as they are one of the main food sources for coywolves and other=
predators like bobcat=2C lynx=2C large owls and hawks.</div><div dir=3D"lt=
r"> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B<u> Coywolves=2C =3B=
Fox=2C =3BBobcats and Lynx</u>: =3BCoywolves =3Bare more =
=3Boften heard than seen but with the abundance of snowshoe hare =3BI i=
magine they will do well this winter. I haven't seen any sign of either fox=
=2C =3Bbobcat or lynx this winter =3Bbut that is not that unusual h=
ere.</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
<u> =3BMice/Voles/Shrews etc</u>.: I haven't seen mice/vole/shrew track=
s in the snow in months=3B which is very troubling. They are prey for many =
small predators and practically the =3Bsole diet of Northern Saw-whet O=
wls. I imagine the mice/voles/ shrews are doing fine under the snow. It's t=
he predators that will suffer.</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B<u> Owls=2C Hawks and Eagles</u>: Large =
owls=2C hawks and eagles =3Bshould do well because there are abundant h=
ares=2C squirrels and grouse about. Northern Saw-whet Owls=2C and earlier a=
rriving =3Bsmaller hawks like American Kestrels=2C =3Bwill on the o=
ther hand=2C I think=2C have a very hard spring. =3BHopefully they will=
delay breeding until much of the snow is gone.</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B<u> Other Birds</u>: The=
re have been lots of birds around the house feeders =3Ball winter but a=
way from feeders it's been very quite. I did a two hour walk a few days ago=
and saw or heard not a single avian species. The only evidence I saw of bi=
rds were =3Ba few =3Bgrouse tracks. I expect early arriving spring =
migrants that depend on insects or are mostly ground feeders (robins=2C spa=
rrows=2C blackbirds etc.) =3Bwill have a very tough time until the snow=
is gone.</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B It's been a long winter and I look forward to seeing =
and walking on bare ground again. If anyone has questions or corrections ab=
out any of my opinions =3Bon how local =3Bwildlife may be surviving=
here I'd be happy to try and answer =3Bthem. I've =3B linked to a =
few recent photos for your amusement. All the best. <br> =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B  =3B =
=3B Fritz McEvoy</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B =3B =3B =3B&nbs=
p=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B Sunrise Valley=2C CB (near Dingwall)</div><div dir=3D"ltr"> =3B<br>=
</div>=0A=
</div>=0A=
</div>=0A=
</div>=0A=
</div>=0A=
</div>=0A=
</div> </td></tr><tr><td class=3D"ecxShareSkyDriveSection" s=
tyle=3D"padding: 30px 0px=3B"> <div style=3D"color: rgb(=
102=2C 102=2C 102)=3B padding-bottom: 10px=3B font-size: 14px=3B">Fritz has=
files to share with you on OneDrive. To view them=2C click the links below=
.</div> <div class=3D"ecxshareSkyDriveImages" style=
=3D"padding-bottom: 10px=3B"> <span class=3D"ecxshareSkyDriv=
eItem"> <a style=3D"font-size: 0px=3B text-decoration: none=3B" =
href=3D"https://onedrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=3D84a49fb62355cd6d&=3Bp=
arentid=3D84A49FB62355CD6D%21313&=3BparId=3D84A49FB62355CD6D%21312&=
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9FB62355CD6D%21309" target=3D"_blank"> <img width=3D"104" he=
ight=3D"104" style=3D"border: currentColor=3B padding-right: 5px=3B padding=
-bottom: 5px=3B" src=3D"https://by3301files.storage.live.com/y2mN9cvieZvdAP=
5BuI1fUL5pmni4-YmLLgGdTwRDalHen7JcnyaFFbrnRbJ63jf_OqehExcHPD6EKvYLVvN1UIM2e=
mQiCUGQwfE9R3-K8h8m8A/house%20in%20sunrise%20valley%20-%20march%2025%2c%202=
015.jpg?psid=3D1&=3Bck=3D0&=3Bex=3D720"> </a> </spa=
n> <span class=3D"ecxshareSkyDriveItem"> <a style=
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